Small game holder



June 16, 1964 F. J. VARNER SMALL GAME HOLDER Filed Aug. 3, 1961 Frank J Varner INVENTOR. Anew. BY m, 25%

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ni ed States Pa 19.

' 3,137,030 SMALL GAME HOLDER Frank J. Varner, R0. Box 34, Watson, Ark. Filed Aug. 3, 1%1, Ser. No. 129,162 Claims. (Cl. 17-442) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in hangers or holders particularly, although not necessarily, for small game such as squirrels, rabbits, etc., and has for its primary object to provide novel means for holding such animals in a manner to facilitate dressing same.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an improved 'hanger or holder of the aforementioned character which will readily accommodate animals of various sizes.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a small game hanger of the character described embodying unique means for firmly but removably securing the animal in different suspended positions to facilitate the usual successive steps in the dressing operation. I

Other objects of the invention are to provide a small game hanger or holder of the character set forth which i will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost. I

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside inthe details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accom- 1 panying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like the other .endof said plate. .It also will beobserved' that, to facilitate use of the device, the word squirre is provided on one side of the shackle 11,.as indicated at 21, and that the word rabbit appears on the other side of said shackle 11, as indicated at 22. Briefly, the device is hung on a suitable support, as indicated at 23 through the medium of a loop 24, for example, inserted through the opening 6 in the plate 5. Or, the opening 6 may receive a nail projecting from a suitable support. When thus suspended preparatory to dressing a squirrel it will be noted that the bail or shackle 11 is on the upper portion of the plate 5. Thus, a relatively small opening is defined between the lower edge of the plate 5 and the bar Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen i that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a support or bracket of metal or other suitable material which is designated generally by reference character 4. The bracket 4, which may also be of any desired dimensions, comprises a vertical plate 5 having openings or holes 6 and 7 in its upper and lower end portions, respectively. The bracket 4 further comprises, on its vertical edges, forwardly projecting lugs or cars 8 having transversely aligned openings 9 therein.

Mounted for swinging movement on the bracket 4 is a bail or shackle 11 which may also be of metal or other suitable material. The shackle 11 includes a pair of side bars or arms 12, an inner end bar 13 and an outer end bar or bight portion 14 which is of a substantial width and which has formed in its inner edge a substantially V-shaped recess or notch 15.

Projecting from the ends of the member13 of the bail or shackle 11 is a pair of trunnions 16 which are journaled in the openings 9 of the ears 8. The bar 14 of the bail or shackle 11 extends laterally beyond the members 12 thereof and has formed integrally with its ends outwardly and upwardly inclined, segmental prongs or hooks 17 on which the rear legs 18 of a squirrel to be dressed, as indicated at 19, are impaled. Thus, what may be considered a gambrel 20 is provided for the animal.

It is thought that the use or operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. It is to be noted that the ears 8 which carry the bail or shackle 11 are closer to one end of the plate 5 than to 14 for the reception of the head of the squirrel. The hock strings in the hind legs of the squirrel are then slit and said squirrel is hung by its hind legs on the gambrel 20 with its back toward the operator by inserting the hooks 17 through the slits. The first step in the dressing operation is then performed by cutting the underside of the squirrels tail and pulling the skin downwardly therefrom. The squirrel is then removed from the hanger, reversed and hung in the device with its stomach toward the operator and the back of its neck resting in the recess or notch 15 where it is anchored by the lower portion of the plate 5 engaged with the chin of the animal. With the squirrel now hanging by. its head, the dressing operation is completed by pulling the skin off the hind legs and the remainder of the lower portion of the animal. Also, the viscera may now be conveniently removed. To dress a rabbit the. bracket 4 is reversed (see FIG. 1) and the supporting loop 24 or other element is inserted through the opening 7. Thus, the bail or shackle 11 is now mounted on the lower portion of the plate 5 and a relatively large opening is defined between the lower edge of said plate and the bar 14. The larger opening thus defined accommodates the larger head and neck of a rabbit, as will be understood.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as newis as follows:

1. A game hanger comprising a plate including generally parallel first and second opposite end edges, a bail including a pair of generally parallel arms interconnected atv one pair of corresponding ends by means of a bight portion extending therebetween, means pivotally secur-' ing the other pair of corresponding ends of said arms to said plate for rotation about an axis generally paralleling the medial plane of said plate and said end edges and spaced laterally outwardly to one side of said plate and closer to one of said end edges than the other for free swinging movement of said bail between limit positions rotated approximately degrees apart and with said arms generally paralleling the medial plane of said plate when said bail is in either of said limit positions, said plate being of a width to span the distance between said arms and to be abutted by said arms to define said limit positions, said bight portion, when said bail is in either of said limit positions, being spaced outwardly from and generally paralleling the corresponding edge of said I V to be hung from a suitable support member.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bight portion includes means defining a notch opening toward said axis, each end of said bight portion including a hook disposed outwardly of the corresponding arm and opening toward said axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson Oct. 7, 1890 Bush July 2, 1940 Swanson Aug. 25, 1953 Goldberg Sept. 9, 1958 Curtis Nov. 1, 1960 

1. A GAME HANGER COMPRISING A PLATE INCLUDING GENERALLY PARALLEL FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE END EDGES, A BAIL INCLUDING A PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL ARMS INTERCONNECTED AT ONE PAIR OF CORRESPONDING ENDS BY MEANS OF A BIGHT PORTION EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN, MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING THE OTHER PAIR OF CORRESPONDING ENDS OF SAID ARMS TO SAID PLATE FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY PARALLELING THE MEDIAL PLANE OF SAID PLATE AND SAID END EDGES AND SPACED LATERALLY OUTWARDLY TO ONE SIDE OF SAID PLATE AND CLOSER TO ONE OF SAID END EDGES THAN THE OTHER FOR FREE SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID BAIL BETWEEN LIMIT POSITIONS ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES APART AND WITH SAID ARMS GENERALLY PARALLELING THE MEDIAL PLANE OF SAID PLATE WHEN SAID BAIL IS IN EITHER OF SAID LIMIT POSITIONS, SAID PLATE BEING OF A WIDTH TO SPAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID ARMS AND TO BE ABUTTED BY SAID ARMS TO DEFINE SAID LIMIT POSITIONS, SAID BIGHT PORTION, WHEN SAID BAIL IS IN EITHER OF SAID LIMIT POSITIONS, BEING SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM AND GENERALLY PARALLELING THE CORRESPONDING EDGE OF SAID PLATE. 